Plastic pallets have long been used to transport and store goods and other materials. Plastic top frames have been used with the plastic pallets to secure a load of goods or materials to the pallet. The frames allow for placement of bands or straps around the pallet and goods to prevent the load from slipping on or falling off the pallet.
The load is placed on the pallet, and the top frame is placed on top of the load. The load is then secured to the pallet by wrapping straps or banding around the pallet, the load, and the top frame. The banding can be plastic, metal or other suitable material. The top frame can also facilitate stacking of pallets during transport or storage.
Additionally, plastic pallet support boards have been used to allow pallets of different sizes to be more easily handled. For example, a warehousing operation may employ different sized pallets to move or store goods or materials. The different sized pallets are placed on pallet support boards to facilitate handling in a more standardized manner. Some users place goods or materials directly on the pallet support boards. Known plastic pallets can be heavy. Known plastic pallets, pallet support boards, and top frames are also more expensive than their wooden counterparts.
Plastic dollies are used to move materials from one place to another. Plastic dollies have casters to allow loads to be placed upon the dolly and more easily move the load from place to place. Known dollies are made from a thermoplastic material, and are roto-molded, making them hollow. Dollies made this way are subject to breakage due to use and abuse. These dollies are also heavy and expensive to manufacture.
Totes are currently sometimes used to carry materials requiring temperature control. This requires the materials to be placed in insulated bags, and the bags placed inside the totes. Also, closed cell extruded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) containers are sometimes used as are steam chest molded containers. Items are placed in the Styrofoam containers, which are then placed inside the totes. Styrofoam containers do not stand up to repeated use. Also it is difficult to wash such containers leading to potential biohazards.
Many of the prior transportation and storage components used in the industry have one or more problems. Some are formed with expensive and/or heavy materials, such as thermoplastic. Others are formed from wood or fiberboard, which can crack or rot. Some use multiple extruded pieces which require additional assembly and risk becoming loose (e.g., a top frame formed from extruded top frame arms connected by corner pieces). Others have hollow portions that can become contaminated if cracked.
Thermoset plastic pallets, dollies, totes, top frames, and pallet support boards can have outer surfaces with a low coefficient of friction. The low coefficient of friction for such surfaces can cause items placed on the surfaces to slide or shift. The low coefficient of friction also can cause stacked pallets, top frames, dollies, totes, and pallet support boards to slide or shift with respect to each other. The present invention is an improvement on all of these as it eliminates or significantly reduces the sliding and shifting by increasing the coefficient of friction of the outer surfaces, thus allowing the product to be used in traditional material handling environments such as with forklifts, palletizers, and conveyors.